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Don’t Drift Away

These chapters are a serious warning about the dangers of spiritually drifting. This sermon highlights those dangers, and how we can make sure we stay anchored. We also continue the theme that “Jesus is Better!”

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Sermon Notes

Story of man who went snorkeling without paying attention. Ended up a mile from shore!

This is what this section of Hebrews is talking about.

Heb. 2:1 We need to be careful, lest we find ourselves drifting away. Some of us are drifting away. Some of us know it, and a few of us don’t. God calling you back!

Some thoughts on drifting:

Requires no effort

We’re usually unaware of it.

We never drift upstream or against the tide.

The farther away we go, the less we care.

It’s dangerous–to ourselves and others.

It can end in shipwreck or other disasters.

Heb. 2:2-4 How can we escape…?

Heb. 2:5-8a Then the author speaks more about Jesus being above the angels. First he takes a well-known passage from the Psalms about man in general, then says it also prophetically describes Jesus. All things are in subjection to Him.

As glorious as the ministry of the Old Testament was, the gospel couldn’t be given over to the angels. It could only be administered by Christ Himself.

2:10 — made perfect through sufferings? Can be confusing…. He perfected, or made complete, the work of salvation by all he suffered. He also needed to be made the perfect sacrifice.

To rescue us, He had to come down and take on our kind of life. As a human race, we sinned. So we needed a human to make the sacrifice, and He was the one.

2:17-18 He lived our life completely, even tasting death, and was tempted in every way as we are. (See also Heb. 4:15)

3:1-3 Then the author points us once more to Jesus, comparing Him to Moses. Remember what the author was trying to do…to present Jesus as better, yes, than even Moses.

3:12-13 Now God is speaking directly to us. Unbelief is saying to God, I don’t believe what you say: I believe my own thoughts and feelings more.

Word studies show that unbelief and disobedience are often translations of the same root word! God calls it “evil.” Unbelief–in the head and heart, and disobedience–in our actions, is what causes drifting.

Common signs of drifting:

Diminishing desire for God’s Word and prayer

Diminishing desire to be with God’s people

More energy spent on the world’s things than the things of the Lord

Remedies against drifting:

Keep rowing–even against the tides and current. That’s diligence!

Keep calling on His grace!

Beware of your own undercurrents.

Remember Heb. 3:13–exhort and encourage others!

We don’t drift when we are properly anchored. See Heb. 6:19. What we have our hope in is far greater than the struggle to keep anchored!